Golf tee



Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,191

P. G. TowsLEY GOLF TEE Filed Sept. 6, 1927 Patented Nov. 20,l 1928.

i .uNiTE-D STATES "PAUL G. rowsLEY, or" iNniAivAPotisj NIBILTA.iy

"GOLF TEE Application niedseptember 6;-1927. 'f seriarNo'." 217.618.l

f It is-the object of my invention to produce' a tee for use in supporting a' golf ball. v'More specifically, it is myobject to produce a tee which will be durable and well able to sustain -wvit-lioutinj ury the 'forces to which it issubj ected in use, which `will hold theball atthe proper height, which will not damage the c-lub should it be struck thereby', which will guide the club into proper contact with the ball, which may be readily inserted and withdrawn from the ground, and which will remain in place after.

the ball has been driven from it.

I accomplish the above objects by forming my tee with a head portion adapted to support the ball and a shank portion adapted to be forced into the ground, and extending obliquely downward from opposite sides of the head portion I provide two arms, preferably integral with the remainder of the tee. Preferably, the tee is formed of metal in one piece.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tee in position in the ground showing a golf club in the act of striking a ball; Fig. 2 is a plan of the tee; Fig. 3 is a transverse section through one of the obliquely extending arms on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1 but with the tee displaced from its normal position.

I am aware that it is old to construct golf tees with a head portion adapted to support the ball and a shank portion adapted to be inserted into the ground. Such tees are frequently lifted from the ground by the club, driven some distance, and become lost. In order to save expense, therefore, these tees are usually made of wood; and frequently, instead of being lifted from the ground when struck by the club, are broken and rendered unfit for further use.

My improved tee is provided with ahead 10 and a shank 11, the latter terminating in a point to facilitate its insertion in the ground. The head 10 is provided in its upper surface with a cup-shaped depression 12 to serve as a support for the ball. Rigid with the head and extending obliquely downward therefrom, I provide two arms 13. rlhese arms are preferably triangular in cross-section, as is evident from Fig. 3, wit-h one edge disposed along the bottom of the arm and the opposite face disposed obliquely upward. Both arms are de- 'sirably of the same shape and in the preferred form of my invention taper toward their outer ends to Iterminate in points, although such taper is not essential. The shank 11 and y' ,armsl 13 are desirably of such relative lengths that the shank extends downward below the Lends of the arms in| order that such arm-ends may rest on the surfaceof the ground when the tee is inserted. Thus, the arms serve the purpose of gaging the height of the tee and nsulre that the ball will always be at the same eve Desirably, the tee is'formed of a single piece of metal, preferably a casting, which is provided with a smooth surface to improve its appearance and to facilitate the insertion of the shank 11 into the ground.

In use, the tee is inserted in the ground with the arms extending in the vertical plane in which the ball is to be driven and with the lower ends of the arms resting on the ground to insure that the ball is held at the proper height. In case the club which is used to drive the ball is directed somewhat lower than it should be, its lower edge comes in contact with the sloping face of the rear arm 13. As a result, the club is directed by the arm 13 into proper relation with the ball. Since the club, under such circumstances, engages the tee on a surface which slopes upward from the point of contact, it is impossible for the club to lift the tee from the ground. It is further to be noted that the tee, presenting asy it does a sloping face to the club, does not injure the club, although the tee is of a mate rial normally harder than that employed in the making of club-heads.

If the force with which the club strikes the tee is sutlicient to displace the tee, it merely tilts the tee toward the position shown in Fig. 4; for, as has been pointed out above, it is impossible for the club to lift the tee from the ground. When this tilting occurs, the lower end of the forward arm 13 is driven into the ground, thus preventing the tee from following the ball. The tapered form of the arms 13 are of advantage in opposing a gradually increasing resistance to the tilting force exerted by the club as the point of the forward arm is driven into the ground. When the tee has become tilted to the posi tion shown in Fig. 4, or until the upper face of the rear arm 13 is substantially horizontal,

no further tilting can take place, as the surface of the tee which is then in Contact with the club is tangent to the path of travel of the sole of the club.

I elaine' as my invention 1. A golf tee, comprising a head adapted to support a ball, a shank rigid with said head and adapted to enter the ground, and two arms extending obliquely downward from said head and located on opposite sides thereof, said arms being tapered toward their outer ends.

2. A golf tee, comprising a head adapted to i support a ball, a shank rigid with said head andadaptedv toV enter the ground, andtwo arms extending ohliquely` downward troni said head vand located on opposite 'sides thereof. f

A golf tee, comprising a head adapted to support. a ball, a shank rigid with said end.

a. A'golt tee, comprising ahead adapted to support a hall, a shank rigid with said head and adapted to enter the ground, and an arm extending 'ohliquely downward from said head.

5. A. metal golifl tee, comprising a head adapted to support a loall7 a shank adapted to enter the ground, and two arms extending ohliquely downward from opposite sides of sai d head, said shank projecting downward beyond the lower ends oi said arms. l

in witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 2d day ot September, A. D. one thousand. nine hundred and twenty-seven.

PAUL e. rro'wsianr. 

